Historical and biographical annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania, embracing a concise history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume I, Part 32

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846; J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1018

USA > Pennsylvania > Berks County > Historical and biographical annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania, embracing a concise history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume I > Part 32

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READING ARTILLERISTS .- During the excitement, a great patriotic feeling was developed at Reading, and on May 20, 1846, a large town meeting was held, presided over by Chief Burgess William Betz ; at which the national government was sustained. A second meeting was held on the next day, at which appropriate resolutions were adopted, ap- proving the course of President Polk. A prominent prevailing sentiment was-"Our country, our whole country, our country right or wrong." And dur- ing that week the volunteer companies of Reading, -Reading Artillerists, Washington Grays, and National Grays-tendered their services to the President. . The first company, commanded by Capt. Thomas S. Leoser, was accepted.

A town-meeting was held in the Court-House on Dec. 19, 1846, for the purpose of devising means to aid the volunteers and a committee of prominent citizens was appointed to escort the company to Philadelphia. The meeting recommended to town council that one thousand dollars be appropriated toward the comfort of the soldiers and the relief of such of their families as needed assistance, and subsequently a loan for this amount was authorized. . A similar appropriation was recommended by the grand jury of the county on the 5th of January, following, to be made by the county commissioners.

The Artillerists left Philadelphia by railroad on Monday morning, December 28th, and arrived at Harrisburg in the afternoon. They proceeded by railroad to Carlisle and Chambersburg, where they arrived on Tuesday morning, at 2 o'clock. After breakfast, they immediately proceeded afoot on their way to Pittsburgh. That day they walked to McConnellsburg, twenty-two miles, and Wednesday they walked to Bloody Run, twenty-six miles. The distance was arranged that Pittsburgh might be reached by Tuesday, Jan. 4th. . Three large . six- horse baggage teams accompanied them, having been supplied by Joel Ritter, who was sent by the citizens of Reading to pay their expenses to Pitts- burgh. They arrived on Jan. 5th. On the same day, the company were mustered into the service of the United States, as Company A, in the 2d Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, under the command of Col. William B. Roberts.

BATTLES ENGAGED IN .- The company, with other companies, left Pittsburgh on the 8th of January, in the boat "Anthony Wayne," and proceeded by way of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans, arriving there on the 15th. It served with distinction throughout the war and was particularly recognized for its bravery. It was engaged in the following battles: Vera Cruz, March 19th to 28th ; Cerro Gordo, April 18th; Chapultepec, Sept. 12th ; Belen Gate, Sept. 13th.

RETURN OF COMPANY .- The City of Mexico was taken on the 14th of September, the Mexicans hav- ing evacuated the capital during the previous night, owing to the capture of the San Cosmo Causeway and the Belen Road. The troops, including Com- pany A, were stationed in this famous city till the 18th of December, when they were removed to San Angel, at which place they continued till peace was declared. They were ordered home in June, 1848, and then marched to Vera Cruz (consuming about a month in the march) where they took transporta- tion for New Orleans. Thence they proceeded up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers to Pittsburgh, and were there mustered out of service on the 21st of July. They then took packets and traveled by canal to Harrisburg, and thence by railroad to Phila- delphia and Reading. Some of the men went by stage directly to Reading: Upon their arrival, on the 29th of July, they were given a brilliant military reception. Numerous buildings and streets were handsomely decorated with flags and wreaths.

DEPARTURE FOR MEXICO .- The company left Reading for Philadelphia on Dec. 26th, and arrived on the afternoon of the same day. After their ex- amination, the United States Surgeon pronounced them the finest body of men he had yet passed into the service. On the day previous to their depar- CIVIL WAR, 1861 TO 1865 ture, the officers were the recipients of numerous CAUSE .-- The Civil war broke out in April, 1861. testimonials of regard, the workmen of the railroad The direct cause was the agitation of the subject

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which related to slavery. After 1850, the extension can administration, their property, peace and per- of slavery on the one hand, and its restriction on the other, became thoroughly national questions and their animated discussion resulted in a severe struggle for the supremacy. Till this time, the South had control of political affairs through lead- ership and legislation, but the Southern statesmen then saw that their political power was in reality passing away through the wonderful growth of the North in population and wealth, and in political representation in the national government. A sim- ilar growth could not be effected in the South; so its leaders desired to extend the rights of slavery. This was particularly apparent upon the admission of Kansas as a State.

The Republican party, the exponent of restrict- ing slavery to territory then occupied, became an active political factor in the country in 1856; but its Presidential candidate was defeated. Threats of secession by the Southern States had been made about that time, and it was thought that if the Re- publican party had been successful, secession would have been attempted. For four years this question was prominent above all other questions. Buchanan preserved the peace during his administration, but he could not preserve the balance of power. Pub- lic opinion grew more favorable toward the Re- publican party, and in 1860 this party appeared be- fore the people with renewed strength. During that time the Democratic party agitated the question of slavery to such an extent that two branches of the party were created, one, the Douglas branch, for submitting the question to the people of a new State upon its erection, and the other, the Brecken- ridge branch, for submitting it to the Supreme court for adjudication under the national Constitution ; and in the Presidential campaign of 1860 their poli- tical power was divided. The party was still strong enough, as a whole, to elect a candidate; but it was not strong enough to bear a division, especially such a division as Douglas was able to create by the support which he had won through public dis- cussion.

Lincoln, the Republican candidate, was elected. From the sentiments of his party, especially from the sentiments of its ultra-leaders, who were styled "Abolitionists," the Southern leaders felt con- strained to take earnest steps toward secession, and these were taken between the day of the election in November and the day of Lincoln's inauguration in March, not only vigorously but successfully without the slightest hindrance on the part of the national government. Prominent cabinet officials, senators and representatives withdrew from their respective positions and caused their several States to pass ordinances of secession, declaring the contract be- tween them and the national government broken.

sonal security were to be endangered, but that there never had been any reasonable cause for such ap- prehension; and he declared that he had no pur- pose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the in- stitution of slavery in the States where it existed; he had no inclination to do so on the one hand, and on the other he had no lawful right, and those who had elected him did so with the full knowledge that he had made these declarations, which he had never recanted. Notwithstanding his plain and direct lan- guage to perform the duties of his office according to the Constitution and laws, without any mental reservations or any purposes to construe them by hypercritical rules ; and his expressed sentiments for peace and inseparable union of the States, the Southern leaders persisted in secession and dis- union.

CALL FOR TROOPS .- On the morning of the 12th of April, 1861, the military forces of South Carol- ina, under the leadership of Gen. Robert Beaure- gard, began to fire upon Fort Sumter, which was under the command of Maj. Robert Anderson. The President, finding the laws of the country opposed and the execution thereof obstructed in seven Southern States (South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tex- as) "by combinations too powerful to be suppressed by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings or by the powers vested in the marshals by law," issued a proclamation on the 15th day of April, calling for seventy-five thousand militia of the several States of the Union, "to suppress said combina- tions and to cause the laws to be duly executed"; and he appealed "to all loyal citizens to favor, facil- itate and aid this effort to maintain the honor, in- tegrity and existence of our national Union, and the perpetuity of popular government, and to re- dress the wrongs already long enough endured." A requisition was made on Pennsylvania for six- teen regiments, two being wanted within three days, inasmuch as the city of Washington was entirely unprotected and a sudden dash upon it was strongly threatened.

The national government had not before done anything to cause the South to feel alarmed, and it was hoped that this simple manifestation of ex- ecutive authority would restore peace, but the or- ganization at the South was too thorough, and its purpose to establish a confederation by itself too premeditated. Men therefore rushed to arms; call after call for troops was made; thousands of lives were sacrificed; and millions of dollars were ex- pended, in the two sections, for a right which each claimed, the one to establish a confederation and the other to maintain constituted authority; and this terrible contest continued four years before peace was restored.

When Lincoln took possession of the government, the status was not only discouraging but alarming. PATRIOTISM OF COUNTY .- The feeling in the county for maintaining the Union and upholding In his inaugural address he stated that apprehen- sion seemed to exist among the people of the the constitution was strong and continuous during Southern States that, by the accession of a Republi- the entire period from the beginning to the close

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of the war; and this was exhibited by Democrats entire community time and again. These were, in- and Republicans alike. Breckenridge had received deed, events that made a lasting impression upon a majority over Lincoln, exceeding two thousand that generation. votes, but the sentiment for the Union was general The encampments (one in the northern part of Reading in 1862, and another in the eastern part in 1863) attracted much attention. They afforded the people an opportunity of forming a proper con- ception of camp life and military discipline. If our peaceful inhabitants did not realize the actual terrors and horrors of warfare by the booming of cannon, the explosion of shells and the destruction of property; if they did not see blood and death in their highways and upon their fields as the evidence of bitter opposition and revenge; they saw officers and soldiers in uniforms and witnessed military exercises with the weapons of war, and they knew by their own personal observations that earnest preparations were made for encounters. with the enemy. in all the districts, especially at Reading. Com- panies were raised rapidly and mustered into ser- vice, altogether 104, almost entirely enlisted in and from the county, and they went to the rescue freely, moved by the highest patriotic impulse. Pub- lic meetings were numerous and earnest sympathy for the cause was manifested at all of them. The prominent men took the lead. Our judges, law- yers, merchants and business men generally, with- out respect to party affiliations, united to encourage and sustain the national administration. Their pro- nounced opinion in the matter created and pre- served a proper spirit in the community. The county and city governments were constantly liberal in appropriations of money toward encouraging volunteer enlistments.

The county contained a large majority of people who were against the war, if we interpret their opinion from the exercise of their political suffrage at elections; but they were submissive and they caused no trouble, no riotous demonstration. They went to the war by the thousand; they endured conscription without opposition; and they permitted the assessment of burdensome taxation. They en- couraged appropriations of money, amounting to nearly a million of dollars, expressly for the enlist- ment of men; and they invested large sums of money in the national securities. These, taken to- gether, truly constitute significant evidence of de- votion to their country and to the administration of its affairs by an opposite party, a party whose principles were not only different from theirs, but in fact objectionable, if not repulsive, to them. Their general co-operation under such circumstan- ces is therefore commendable.

Capt. James McKnight offered his company of Ringgold Light Artillery, and it was the first mili- tary organization that responded to the call for troops by the President and moved to the defense of the country. This historical fact is worthy of especial mention, for in it our people take a just, patriotic pride; and it is a distinction in this great crisis of our country which no other community enjoys. Hon. William M. Hiester prepared a paper to establish the fact beyond question, and read it before the Historical Society of Berks County on June 14, 1870.

During this period, the excitement throughout the county was ever active, and several times when the State was invaded by the Rebels, and our own county was threatened with the horrors of war, it became alarming. This was particularly the case at Reading. Penn Square was daily, more or less, in commotion with the enlistment of men, the for- mation and exercise of companies and their depart- ure to the seat of war or their return from it. The music of fife and drum and the marching of men (fathers, husbands, brothers and sons) thrilled the

How they looked at these military cities, with tents and streets under strict regulation ! how they watched the men in drill, by platoons and com- panies and battalions! how they pointed out gen- erals and colonels and captains as the men who had been in war and passed safely through the jaws of death! But when the wounded, the dying and the dead were brought home to them, then they felt that the curse of rebellion was in the land.

The "Union League," a Republican association at Reading, organized after the great "Union. League" at Philadelphia, was very active in en -. listing men for military service; and so were the various secret societies, especially the "Junior Sons of America."

In the midst of the great excitement incident to the general feeling for war and the necessary preparations to carry it on successfully, our local energy displayed itself to a remarkable degree in every department of business. Trade was active- and profitable, and it stimulated various enter- prises. Railroads were projected and substantial improvements were made in every section of the county, especially at Reading; and matters per- taining to education and religion were directed with earnestness and success. The prices of all kinds of material were high; but money was abundant and a spirit of increased liberality kept it moving about actively from hand to hand, from store to store, from bank to bank, and from place to place.

WAR MEETINGS .- After the election of Lin- coln, a sentiment of fear for the preservation of the Union developed more and more rapidly with each passing day. This was more especially caused by the action of certain Southern States on the subject of secession. This fear obtained at Reading; and in order to express the opinion of this community on the subject of "preserving the integrity of the Union," a large meeting, including prominent men of both political parties, was held in the Court-House on Dec. 13, 1860. Appropriate

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resolutions were adopted, favorable to the Union, which was the first to take active and successful but particularly recommending non-interference steps toward providing for the comfort and wel- fare of the soldiers. with the rights of property in slaves guaranteed by the Constitution to the Southern States.

On the 10th day of December (three days be- fore) the Democratic City Club had met and re- ported a "Memorial to Congress on the State of the Union," prepared by a committee of thirty- three prominent Democrats, in which similar senti- ments of non-interference and compromise had been expressed.

In July, 1862, when there was a threatened in- vasion of Pennsylvania, our people became much alarmed for the safety of their lives and property. Large and enthusiastic meetings were held in the Court-House to devise means for pro- tection. They included all the prominent and in- fluential citizens of Reading. Their public ex- pressions were thoroughly patriotic; and in pur- suance of their earnest recommendation the county commissioners offered a bounty of fifty dollars to every officer and private mustered into the service from the county. In September following, the commissioners again offered the same bounty for every volunteer soldier; and the city councils ap- propriated ten thousand dollars additional for this purpose of encouraging volunteer enlistments. In June, 1863, similar meetings were held.

APPROPRIATIONS .- The city of Reading appro- priated altogether for war purposes, in bounties, relief, etc., $373,179 and the county of Berks, the sum of $452,389. The boroughs likewise appro- priated moneys for these purposes and displayed the same patriotic spirit.

LADIES' AID SOCIETY .- The women are also worthy of mention for their patriotism. They did not enlist in practical military service; but they gave the national administration a moral support which is truly praiseworthy. Just as the "Ring- gold Light Artillery" were preparing to take the railroad train on the afternoon of April 16, 1861, to proceed to Harrisburg in answer to the Presi- dent's call for troops, certain influential ladies of Reading assembled in the parlor of Mrs. Dr. Dil- ler Luther, at No. 530 Penn street, and formed a society which they entitled "Ladies' Aid Society." Its object was to supply the soldiers with clothing and materials useful whilst in military service away from home. It was actively engaged dur- ing the entire period of the war, collecting and forwarding tons of materials. A "depot" was es- tablished at Reading, to which all the goods were carried and from which they were consigned. The country districts co-operated in this work and the women responded nobly by forwarding many ma- terials to Reading.

This was the first society of the kind organized in the country ; and as we take a just pride in hay- ing furnished the military company which was the first to respond to the call for troops and to report at Harrisburg for service. so do we take a similar pride in having organized this Ladies' Aid Society,

This society participated actively in the matters pertaining to the Sanitary Commission at Phila- delphia; and it was represented by a number of ladies at the "Sanitary Fair," which was held in that city for the purpose of raising funds to re- lieve the wants of the soldiers.

READING HOSPITAL .- A "Military Hospital" was fitted up at Reading during the middle of June, 1862, in the main exhibition building of the Agri- cultural Society on the "Fair Ground," with cots sufficient to accommodate 130 patients, and suc- cessfully conducted till the spring of 1863. The "Ladies' Aid Society" of Reading took an active interest in the welfare of the sick and wounded soldiers, and performed admirable service during the continuance of the hospital. The regularly commissioned surgeons in attendance were Dr. Martin Luther and Dr. John B. Brooke.

DRAFT AND QUOTAS OF BERKS COUNTY .- Dur- ing the progress of the war, requisitions for troops became so frequent that the government was com- pelled to resort to the conscription of men so as to prosecute the war with success. Though numer- ous volunteers enlisted from Berks county, and the citizens of this district responded nobly to the sev- eral calls for troops, here, as elsewhere, the draft had to be made. There were four drafts, one in each of the years 1862, 1863, 1864 and 1865. The provost marshals of this district were, in succes- sion, Henry I. Kupp, Jacob C. Hoff and George W. Durell.

The first draft was conducted in October, 1862. The total enrollment of men in the county num- bered 17,809 ; the volunteers, 3,186; and the quota, 2,719. The number of men who volunteered in lieu of draft was 345; and the substitutes who en- listed for three years numbered 146. The total number of men drafted in the county was 1,242. These men were encamped on the "Hiester Farm," adjoining the Evans' cemetery on the north, formed into companies, and placed under the command of Col. Charles Knoderer; and they were mustered into service as the 167th Regiment.

A second draft was made August 26-29, 1863. The quota of men from the county was 1,554- this number having been fifty per cent in excess, to provide against exemptions.

The third draft proposed in March, 1864, for Berks county, was postponed for a time. The quota in the call for two hundred thousand men was 767; the deficiency of the county under former drafts was 298; total number required, 1,065; and the credit of the county on April 15, 1864, for men supplied to the government, 1,036. This deficiency of 29 men was more than supplied by re-enlisted veterans. Subsequently. however, in May, a draft was ordered, upon finding a deficiency in certain sub-districts in the county and each sub-district

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was required to fill its own quota. The total num- number, among them some of the most significant ber drawn was 172.

A call for five hundred thousand men was made there were seventy-three engagements; and in the

on July 18, 1864. The quota for Berks county was 1,887; for Reading, 450. On Aug. 1st, the defi- eight. ciency in the county was 1,625; in Reading 212. PAPER MONEY .- Before the Civil war, it had A draft was made on Sept. 22d, but only for been the uniform practice of the different States to one sub-district-Ruscombmanor, 52 men, all the allow banks to be established for the issue of notes, other sub-districts having supplied their deficiencies. A fourth draft was made Feb. 23-25, 1865. Reading, Upper Bern, Bernville, Cumru, Douglass, Spring, Upper Tulpehocken, and Womelsdorf had supplied their quota of men by volunteers. The call was made in December, 1864, for three hundred thou- sand; the quota for Pennsylvania was 49,563, and Berks county, 1,560. payable in specie on demand, and the liability of the shareholders was limited. Banking then was quite free, and all individuals could carry it on provided they observed the requirements of the law. But under this system there was great fluctu- ation in value, which produced much bankruptcy and ruin. Between 1811 and 1820, many banks became bankrupt; and twenty years afterward, another financial panic occurred. The inflation of the banknotes was wonderful between 1830 and

NORTHERN MEN IN SERVICE .- The aggregate number of men furnished by Pennsylvania was 366,326; reduced to three years' standard, 267,558. 1837; but just as the amount had been increased.

It is estimated that during the war fifty-six thou- sand soldiers were killed in battle; about thirty- five thousand died of wounds in hospitals, and one hundred and eighty-four thousand by disease. The total casualties, if we include those who died sub- sequent to their discharge, were about three hun- dred thousand. The loss of the Confederates was less in battle, owing to the defensive character of their struggle; but they lost more from wounds and by disease, on account of inferior sanitary ar- rangements. The total loss of life caused by the Rebellion exceeded half a million men, and nearly as many more were disabled.

SUMMARY OF BATTLES .- In the four years of 'to $150,000,000, declaring them to be legal tender service, the armies of the Union (counting every form of conflict, great and small) had been in 2,- tional debt. 265 engagements with the Confederate troops. A premium on gold naturally followed, causing it to be drawn entirely from circulation, and this increased as the treasury notes multiplied. Then the National Banking System came to be intro- duced to supply a circulating medium, having been created on Feb. 25, 1863, and amended on June 3, 1864. A Bureau was established in the Treasury Department, with power to authorize banking as- sociations, under certain provisions for public . se- curity, and the State banks were rapidly trans- formed into national banks. The currency of the country in this manner came to consist of treasury demand notes (which in 1865 amounted to $450,- 000,000) and of national bank-notes (which' ap- proached the limit of $300,000,000). The latter circulated as freely as the former, because their ultimate redemption was assured by the deposit of an adequate amount in United States bonds at the national treasury. This system was found supe- rior in the protection which it afforded; but it could not prevent a financial crisis from sweeping From the time when active hostilities began until the last gun of the war was fired, a fight of some kind (a raid, a skirmish or a pitched battle) oc- curred at some point on our widely-extended front nearly eleven times a week upon an average. Counting only those engagements in which the Union loss, in killed, wounded and missing, ex- ceeded one hundred, the total number was 330. From the northernmost point of contact to the southernmost, the distance by any practicable line of communication was more than two thousand miles. From east to west, the extremes were fif- teen hundred miles apart. During the first year of hostilities (one of preparation on both sides) the battles were naturally fewer in number and less de- cisive in character than afterward, when discipline had been imparted to the troops by drill, and when the materiel of war had been collected and stored for prolonged campaigns. The engagements of all kinds in 1861 were thirty-five in number, of which the most serious was at Bull Run. In 1862, the over the country, especially when other causes, such war had greatly increased in magnitude and inten -. as excessive manufactures and enormous losses sity, as is shown by the eighty-four engagements from fire, contributed greatly toward the result. between the armies. The net result of the year's Congress also authorized small notes for five, operations was highly favorable to the Rebellion. ten, twenty-five and fifty cents to be issued for In 1863 the battles were one hundred and ten in the purpose of supplying the loss of the small de-

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Historical and biographical annals of Berks County, Pennsylvania, embracing a concise history of the county and a genealogical and biographical record of representative families, Volume I, Part 32

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846; J.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1018

Author: Montgomery, Morton L. (Morton Luther), b. 1846; J.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : J. H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1018